Saturday, September 17, 2016

Trump in Little Haiti

On his way to a big rally in Miami on Friday, Trump stopped in Miami's Little Haiti community, where almost 30,000 people live. They gathered at the Haitian Marketplace (some accounts called it the Little Haiti Cultural Center). Instead of speaking, Trump listened.From Miami's ABC affiliate:

Organizers were hoping to tap into Haitian-Americans' disillusionment with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

"She has had countless years and her husband has had countless years to help the Haitian people. And she has slightly helped the Haitian people at great profit to herself, her family and her friends," registered Democrat Alain Troadec said.

Many at the event consider the Clintons' involvement in Haiti as interference, from their foundation's business development to political pressure in presidential elections.

"For me, it's all about hating because I'm Haitian. It's all about Haiti," Guerson Lorissaint said.

"Mr. Trump so concerned about America because the way America goes, it's not in a good direction," Sara Bernard said.

They are not Hispanic people because their native land was a French slave colony. It is tied with Cuba for the title of the most corrupt place in the Western Hemisphere. Naturally, the Clintons love Haiti.

“Voters have a very tough plate in front of them,” said Joe Celestin, who in 2001 became the first Haitian American elected mayor of a sizable U.S. city. “I think this election cycle, most Haitians are going to stay home. They don’t want to vote for Trump, and they don’t want to vote for Hillary — and we don’t have an alternative.”

Celestin and others have been invited to meet Trump at the Little Haiti Cultural Center.

Barnett, who is black, cited recent Trump’s outreach in Detroit as the sort of campaigning he hopes the candidate will do Friday in Miami.

“Donald Trump is going everywhere ... talking with leaders in the black community,” said Barnett, who has been reaching out to the Haitian evangelical community in particular. One Seventh-day Adventist pastor, Gerly Germain, who is registered without political party affiliation, said he’s still mulling over Trump’s invitation.

As far as South Florida is concerned, Trump’s move is a political play to try to capitalize on the Haitian-American community’s disenchantment with Clinton.

Not mentioned is how the Clinton Foundation used the Haitian earthquake to rake in millions from foreign donors, the United Nations, and the U.S. government, but did little to rebuild Haiti.

What the Miami Herald called a political ploy some people in Haiti and Little Haiti no doubt welcome. He's going to be president of all the people, and thwart the socialist attempt to divide the American people by ethnicities.

***My new book, "Trump the Press," is a fun read that details how the experts missed the rise of Trump.